Game carton

ABSTRACT

A blank is folded to form a game board and game piece storage compartment carton. The blank includes a bottom panel, a pair of side walls hingedly connected thereto, an apertured top panel hingedly connected to the upper edge of one of the side walls, and a platform panel hingedly connected to the upper edge of the other side wall. Extensions of the top and bottom panels are folded to form the storage compartment. A symbol carrying disc is centrally pivoted between the top and platform panels. The top panel apertures through which the symbols are viewable depends on the position to which the disc is pivoted. Game pieces placed in the apertures obscure the symbols and enable the game of Concentration to be played. A cover fits over the carton.

United States Patent [191 Bliss Mar. 18, 1975 GAME CARTON PrimaryExaminer-Anton O. Oechsle [75] Inventor: Robert gflllhliapl gttggnsfy,Agent, or Firm-Robert M. Dunning; Jerry [73] Assignee: Hoerner WaldorfCorporation, St.

I Paul 57 ABSTRACT [22] Filed: 1974 A blank is folded to form a gameboard and game [21] Appl. No.: 489,258 piece storage compartment carton.The blank includes a bottom panel, a pair of side walls hingedlyconnected thereto, an apertured top panel hingedly con- [52] us Cl273/136 gg gg nected to the upper edge of one of the side walls, and aplatform panel hingedly connected to the upper [51] Int. Cl. A63f 3/00edge of the other side wall Extensions of the top and [58] Field ofSearch 273/130 R, 135 R, 136; b l f M d h 229/27 ottom pane s are 0 c toorm t e storage compartv ment. A symbol carrymg disc 15 centrallypivoted between the top and platform panels. The top panel ap- [56]References cued er tures through which the symbols are viewable de-UNITED STATES PATENTS pends on the position to which the disc ispivoted. 2,330,345 9/1943 Elliott 229/27 X Game pieces placed in theapertures obscure the sym- 2,593,895 4/1952 Kohl 229/27 1 and enable thegame of Concentration to be 3,251,528 5/l966 Cillufo 229/27 x played Acover fi over the Canon 3,347,549 10/1967 Jackson 273/136 R X 8 Claims,11 Drawing Figures GAME CARTON This invention relates to an improvementin game cartons, and deals particularly with a carton including asupporting platform, a disc rotatably supported upon the platform, and aperforated top panel having spaced apertures extending therethrough. Thedisc is provided with a series of symbols, certain of the symbols beingsimilar, and others being different, there being a pair of symbols ofeach type being visible through the openings in all positions of thedisc. Game pieces are provided which fit within the openings in thecover panel so as to block the view of the symbols therebeneath. Thepurpose of the game is for each player to remove two symbols in anattempt to uncover identical symbols. The game pieces are replacedunless the symbols match. The game is a game of memory, as it isnecessary for the players to remember the location of the varioussymbols which have been uncovered, the game pieces being replaced if thesymbols are not similar.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The original game was produced merely ofthree sheets of heavy paperboard, the intermediate sheet comprising adisc, and one of the outer sheets being square or generally rectangularand including a series of apertures through which the symbols on thedisc may be viewed. The disc is centrally pivoted to the upper and lowersheets, and the upper and lower sheets are marginally secured so thatthe disc could be rotated therebetween.

The original game was included in an outer rectangular box so that thegame pieces could also be contained. In view ofthe fact that in theactual game, there are 36 apertures in the top panel, a similar numberof game pieces were required.

In preferred form, the game pieces are somewhat similar to checkers buthaving a cylindrical plug concentric with the body of the game piecewhich extends into the aperture. In order that the game pieces maystack, apertures are provided in the upper surface of each game pieceinto which the plug of a similar game piece may extend.

The original game had the'difficulty that it lay flat on a table so thatthe disc was somewhat difficult to rotate. Furthermore, in view of thefact that the box or carton had to be of sufficient size to accomodatethe game board. the game pieces had a tendency to roll around within thebox when the game was not in use, if the pieces were not confined insome way.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention lies in theprovision of a carton having a bottom panel, side wall panels connectedto opposite sides of said bottom panel to extend upwardly therefrom, aplatform panel, and a top panel hingedly connected to the upper edge ofa 'side wall panel. The bottom panel was somewhat longer than the toppanel, and the walls were extended to provide a pocket extending thefull width of the game board and adapted to receive the playing pieceswhen not being used.

A feature of the present invention resides in the fact that the disc onwhich the symbols are printed is substantially equal in diameter to thetop panel having the openings therethrough, the openings being spaced inspaced concentric relation to the center of the disc. An aperture isprovided at the juncture between the side walls and the top panel andplatform panel so that the marginal edge of the disc projects slightlybeyond the edge of the aperture in the top panel and platform panel sothat it may be readily rotated.

While the top panel is provided with only 36 apertures, the arrangementof symbols is such that there are a total of 108 symbols on the disc, sothat the disc may be rotated to 18 different positions, in each of whichthe symbols to be viewed are in a different position. In other words, ineach of the 18 positions of the disc, there are 18 pairs of symbolsvisible through the apertures so that the game may be played almostindefinitely and so that the players will not remember the position ofthe symbols in each rotated position of the disc. Because of this thereare a great number of combi' nations, and after turning the disc fromone position to another, the symbols will always appear in a differentlocation.

In certain Figures of the drawings, the number of apertures has beenconsiderably reduced, as otherwise, the apertures would appear verysmall in size, and the number of apertures is not critical as long asthe number is divisible by 2. The present invention relates to theconstruction of the device rather than the game itself, or the manner inwhich it is played.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention willbe more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification andclaims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of thegame carton with the top cover removed to show the general arrangementof the game.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cover in somewhat reduced size, thecover comprising merely an inverted tray which is applied to the gamewhen it is not in use.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view transversely through the carton, the positionof the section being indicated by the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through the device, the positionof the section being indicated by the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the game carton isformed.

FIG. 6 is a plan view ofthe partially folded game carton.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal section of the game with the cover appliedthereto.

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the disc, diagrammatically indicatingcertain of the symbols thereupon. FIG. 9 is a segment of a small portionof the disc.

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of one of the playing pieces which cover thesymbols while the game is being played.

FIG. 11 is an elevational view of the game piece indicated in FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The game A is formed of theblank which is best illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawings. The blankincludes a bottom panel 10 which is hingedly connected along itslongitudinal edges 11 and 12 to side walls 13 and I4 respectively. Aplatform panel 15 is hingedly connected to the side wall 14 along a foldline 16 which is parallel to the previously described fold lines 11 and12. The platform panel 15 is provided with .an inner side wall 17 whichis approximately the same height as the side walls 13 and 14, the innerreinforcing panel 17 being hingedly connected to the platform panelalong the fold line 19.

The side wall 13 is hingedly connected along the fold line 20 to the toppanel 21. The parallel edge of the top panel 21 is connected by foldline 22 to an outer side wall panel 23. The top panel 21 is connectedalong parallel fold lines 24 and 25 to an end wall 26 and a partitionwall 27 respectively. The walls 26 and 27 are substantially equal inwidth to the wall panels 13 and 14. The tuck flap 29 is hingedlyconnected to the side wall 26 along the fold line 30. The partition wall27 is connected along the fold line 31 to a pocket liner panel 32 whichis designed to form the bottom of the game piece tray, as will bedescribed.

The fold line 24 is substantially aligned with the edge 33 at one end ofthe bottom panel 10. The top panel 21 is substantially square, while thebottom panel 10 is somewhat longer in order to form the pocket. The endofthe bottom panel 10 opposite the edge 33 is hingedly connected by afold line 34 to an outer end wall 35 which is connected along the foldline 36 to an end wall liner panel 37. The end wall liner panel 37 isconnected to a bottom flange 39 along a fold line 40. The fold line 40is interrupted by a pair of U-shaped cut lines to accomodate shorttongues 46 projecting from the panel 32 which forms the bottom of thegame piece pocket.

The outer side wall 23 is provided with a projecting tongue 47 which isdesigned to lie outwardly of the side wall 14. The wall 13 also includesa projection 49 which extends throughout the length of the bottom panel10. Corner flaps 50 and 51 are hingedly connccted to the ends of thetongues 47 and 49 respec tively along fold lines 52 and 53 which arealigned with the fold line 34. A locking tongue 54 is hingedly connectedto the edge 33 of the bottom panel 10, and the fold line 30 is providedwith a slot 55 into which the locking tongue may extend when the game iserected, in the manner which will be described.

The top panel 21 is provided with a series of apertures 56 of equalsize. These apertures 56 are preferably concentric about a central pivothole 57. The platform panel 15 is provided with a central aperture 59. Apivot 60, which is perhaps best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 ofthe drawings,extends through the top panel 21, the center of the disc 62 as indicatedby the aperture 61, and through the platform panel 15 as is indicated inFIG. 5. The platform panel 15 is somewhat narrower than the top panel21, and is hingedly connected by parallel fold lines 63 and 64 toreinforcing flanges 65 and 66 respectively. The flanges 65 and 66 aresomewhat wider than the height of the game carton and extend downwardlyand outwardly as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. The lower edge 67 of theflange 65 engages the juncture between the end wall 26 and the tuck flap29, the edge 67 including a notch 69 to bridge the locking tongue 54.The flange 66 is designed to engage between the partition wall 27 andthe bottom panel 10.

Apertures are provided in the various layers of the device in order toprovide access to the peripheral edge of the disc 62 when the game isassembled. The apertures are similar in shape, having arcuate ends 72and convex elongated sides 73 as indicated at the top of the blank shownin FIG. 5. One such aperture 74 is provided intersecting the fold line22 connecting the top wall 21 to the side wall 23. A second similaraperture 75 is provided intersecting the fold line 20 between the topwall 21 and the side wall 13. A third such aperture 76 intersects thefold line 16 connecting the platform panel 15 and the side wall 14. Afourth aperture 77 intersects the fold line 19 connecting the platformpanel 15 to the supporting wall 17. These apertures are designed to moveinto alignment when the game board is set up as indicated in FIG. 1.When the game carton is set up, the aperture 75 aligns with-the aperture76, and the aperture 74 aligns with the aperture 77.

In the initial forming of the game carton, adhesive is applied to thearea 79, and the platform panel 15 and the wall 17 are folded along thefold line 16 to overlie the bottom panel 10. From the position shown inFIG. 6, the blank is folded along the fold line 11 so that the platformpanel and bottom panel overlie the top panel 21. The wall 23 is nextfolded along the fold line 22 to overlie the wall 14 and is adheredthereto.

As is indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the disc 62 projects slightly beyondthe edges of the apertures. This can also be seen in FIG. 1 of thedrawings. A sufficient portion of the edge of the disc 62 is disclosedso that the disc may be rotated from one position to another.

The disc 62 is not shown in its completed form in FIG. 8 of the drawingsin view of the fact that there are dozens of different symbols printedon the surface of the disc, and these symbols may be changed or varied.All in all, there are 108 symbols on the disc 62 in the specific gamewhich is being produced. A small section of the edge of the disc 62 isshown in FIG. 9 of the drawings. The edge of the disc is divided intoequal sections, and lines 80 are provided extending inwardly from theperiphery of the disc a short distance.

When any of these lines 80 become aligned with one of the two pointers81 printed on the top of the game board 21, symbols are visible througheach of the various apertures 56. Symbols 82 are provided in concentriccircles on the disc 62, these symbols being visible when the lines 80and pointers 81 are aligned.

The game pieces 84 are cylindrical in form being notched as indicated at85 along the upper and lower edges so as to simplify handling. A shortdownwardly extending cylindrical projection 86 is provided concentricwith each cylindrical playing piece 84, and a recess 87 is provided inthe upper surface of each of the playing pieces. As a result, theprojection 86 of one playing piece can extend into the cylindricalsocket of another playing piece so that the playing pieces may bestacked without difficulty.

In setting up the game carton, it is only necessary to square up thelongitudinal walls so that the carton is rectangular in cross section.One end of the carton is closed by folding the wall 26 downwardly andtucking the tuck flap 29 inwardly to overlie the bottom panel. Duringthis operation, the reinforcing panel 65 will be angled downwardly intothe position shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. The locking tab 54 is inserted upthrough the slot 55 to lie inwardly of the wall 26.

In forming the other end of the carton, the end wall 35 is foldedupwardly to lie outwardly of the corner flaps 50 and 51. The end wallliner panel 37 is folded throughout in order to lie inwardly of theouter end wall 35 and the corner flaps 50 and 51. The flange 39 isfolded flat against the bottom panel 10. The partition wall 27 is thenfolded downwardly into vertical position as shown in FIG. 4, and thepanel 32 is folded to overlie the bottom panel 10. The tongues 46 on theedge of the panel 32 engage in the slots 45 in the end wall liner wall37, and the game is completely assembled. A cover B is provided but isnot shown in detail, as it comprises merely an inverted tray having acover panel 90, parallel side walls 91, and parallel end Walls 92. Thecover merely fits over the game carton as indicated in FIG. 7 to protectthe same while it is not in use.

In playing the game, the first step is to place a game piece 84 on thetop panel 21 over each aperture with the cylindrical projection 86extending into a corresponding aperture 86. Obviously, some of thesymbols are visible through the apertures 56 during the operation ofcovering the apertures. However, in order to prevent the location of anyof the symbols from being remembered, the disc 62 is rotated throughseveral degrees of rotation and one of the lines 80 is lined up with anarrow or pointer 81 on the panel 21. Each player is permitted to removetwo of the game pieces and view two of the symbols, replacing the gamepieces in the apertures unless the symbols match. After a number of gamepieces have been removed and replaced, one of the players will rememberhaving seen two similar symbols, and will remove the game piecestherefrom and keep the symbols exposed, This is continued until all ofthe game pieces are removed, the player having the greatest number ofgame pieces winning the game.

In accordance with the Patent Statutes, I have described the principlesof construction and operation of my improvement in GAME CARTONS; andwhile I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, Idesire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within thescope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

I claim:

l. A game structure including:

a carton having a rectangular bottom panel,

side walls of equal height extending upwardly from opposite sides ofsaid bottom panel,

a top panel hinged to the upper edge of one of said side walls,

an outer side wall hingedly connected to the side of said top panel,

means connecting said walls and panels in tubular relation,

a top panel liner panel secured to one of said side walls and underlyingsaid top panel,

flanges hinged to two opposed edges ofsaid top panel liner panel andextending downwardly therefrom into engagement with said bottom panel,and

said top panel having apertures therethrough adapted to accomodate gamepieces adapted to rest upon said top panel liner panel.

2. The structure of claim 1 and including end closure flaps hingedlyconnected to one of said top and bottom panels.

3. The structure of claim 1 and including hand holes at the juncturebetween said top panel and the side walls connected thereto.

- 4. The structure of claim 1 and in which said top panel is narrower atone end than said bottom panel in length and includes an end closureincluding an end wall and a bottom wall liner panel, and in which thecorresponding end of said top panel includes an outer end wall, andcorner flap means connecting said outer end wall and said side walls,

said end wall being folded downwardly, and said bottom wall liner paneloverlying said bottom panel and extending to said end wall.

5. The structure of claim 4 and in which one of said end closure flapsincludes an end wall hinged to one of said top and bottom panels, a tuckflap hinged to said end wall, and corner flaps hinged to said side wallsand panel.

1. A game structure including: a carton having a rectangular bottompanel, side walls of equal height extending upwardly from opposite sidesof said bottom panel, a top panel hinged to the upper edge of one ofsaid side walls, an outer side wall hingedly connected to the side ofsaid top panel, means connecting said walls and panels in tubularrelation, a top panel liner panel secured to one of said side walls andunderlying said top panel, flanges hinged to two opposed edges of saidtop panel liner panel and extending downwardly therefrom into engagementwith said bottom panel, and said top panel having apertures therethroughadapted to accomodate game pieces adapted to rest upon said top panelliner panel.
 2. The structure of claim 1 and including end closure flapshingedly connected to one of said top and bottom panels.
 3. Thestructure of claim 1 and including hand holes at the juncture betweensaid top panel and the side walls connected thereto.
 4. The structure ofclaim 1 and in which said top panel is narrower at one end than saidbottom panel in length and includes an end closure including an end walland a bottom wall liner panel, and in which the corresponding end ofsaid top panel includes an outer end wall, and corner flap meansconnecting said outer end wall and said side walls, said end wall beingfolded downwardly, and said bottom wall liner panel overlying saidbottom panel and extending to said end wall.
 5. The structure of claim 4and in which one of said end closure flaps includes an end wall hingedto one of said top and bottom panels, a tuck flap hinged to said endwall, and corner flaps hinged to said side walls and folded inwardly ofsaid end wall.
 6. The structure of claim 1 and including a game discpivotally supported between said top panel and said top panel linerpanel.
 7. The structure of claim 6 and in which said disc issubstantially equal in diameter to said top panel liner panel, and ispivotally secured thereto.
 8. The structure of claim 4 and in which saidouter end panel is hinged to an end panel liner which in turn isconnected to a bottom flap overlying said bottom panel.